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Organofunctional silane Z-6011 gives iPhone 4 bad rap

Spot on, spot off

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A chemical compound we're willing to bet most Reg readers have never heard of may be responsible for one new-release niggle burning up the intertubes about Apple's new iPhone 4: screen discoloration.

As we reported earlier today, some otherwise-happy new owners of new iPhones are newly disturbed by the new revelation that their new toys appear to have a combination of yellow fever and Rocky Mountain spotted fever — meaning yellow spots on their displays.

Fear not, frustrated fanfolk. The culprit, according to a self-identifiably well-informed AppleInsider poster using the handle of austingaijin, is merely a chemical used in the manufacturing process of the sacred handheld's display. In a post comfortingly entitled "The yellow blotches will disappear," austingaijin writes:

Apple is using a bonding agent called Organofunctional Silane Z-6011 to bond the layers of glass. Apparently, Apple (or more likely Foxconn) is shipping these products so quickly that the evaporation process is not complete. However, after one or two days of use, especially with the screen on, will complete the evaporation process and the yellow "blotches" will disappear.

How do I know? I was involved in pitching Z-6011 to Apple.

Of course! Dow Corning's pride and joy, the ever-popular organofunctional silane affectionately known as Z-6011.

How silly of us to have ever thought that Steve Jobs, Apple designer/god Jonny Ive, or the manufacturing wizards at Foxconn could have erred. ®